


Regret

by GingerAlchemist



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Temporary Character Death, F/M, Gen, I was kinda disappointed that we didn't go more into this, also some slight Percy/Vex, contains art I drew, has Keyleth/Vax but it's minor and isn't the focus of the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 19:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14754962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerAlchemist/pseuds/GingerAlchemist
Summary: "Keyleth's gaze slowly trailed across the room towards the cold, blanketed body on a table… and the dark, hunched body that sat beside it."A look at Vax's mindset during that night in the mansion on Glintshore. Spoilers for episodes 68-69.





	Regret

**Author's Note:**

> It always kind of bugged me that we never heard the words "I forgive you" from Vax to Percy, even though it was pretty much implied. This is my attempt at somewhat remedying that, while at the same time doing my best to stay in character.  
> Some minor inspiration for this came from "There As I Flew," by Heptapora. Give it a read!

Keyleth woke up relatively early.

To be honest, it was a shock that she’d managed to get any sleep at all, considering the circumstances.

She slowly sat up from her place on the floor. Around her, the other members of Vox Machina were strewn about. Grog sat against the plush chair where Scanlan had curled up. Close by were Vex and Trinket, the former looking like she was trying to disappear into the latter’s giant furry belly.

Keyleth felt a pang in her chest at the sight of the ranger, the dried tear tracks still visible on her face. They were all hurting right now, but Vex…

The druid’s gaze slowly trailed across the room towards the cold, blanketed body on a table… and the dark, hunched body that sat beside it.

She shouldn’t be surprised that he managed to stealth away from her side in the middle of the night.

Keyleth shot a quick look at Kynan, who was still sat a fair distance away from the party. It was hard to tell if he was asleep or not, but she decided in the moment she didn’t care. As quietly as possible, she shifted away from the group to slide in next to the rogue.

“Vax?” She set an hand on his arm.

He flinched, as if he hadn’t noticed her presence. He was leaning against the leg of the table, right below Percy’s head, and staring at his hands resting in his lap.

“You should go back to sleep,” he replied after a moment. His voice was gravelly, tired. “You need your rest.”

Keyleth allowed a few druidic sparkles to dance along her fingers. “I’m good to go. Ready to leave when you are.”

The rogue made a “hm” sound, then fell quiet again.

“We’re going to get him back,” Keyleth assured. “Pike will fix this, and everything will be fine.” Yet, even as she said it, she couldn’t help but feel the seed of doubt that grew. It was perfectly possible the resurrection wouldn’t work. When they were bringing Pike back, Father Tristan had told them a soul could be lost if the connection wasn’t strong enough, or…

… or if the soul was unwilling.

What? No.

Noooo.

But…

“Do you think--”

“Did he tell you,” Vax cut her off, “what our last conversation was?”

Keyleth racked her brain. “At the inn? About Ripley?”

Vax waved his hand. “Before that.”

“No?”

He let out a soft chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair. “He made me a shrine to the Raven Queen.”

Keyleth’s eyebrows shot up.

“It was before we went to Draconia. He took me aside and showed it to me, hoping it would help me… connect more. To her.”

She frowned a bit. “ _Percy_?”

She was given a nod in response. “And I… “ He sighed. “Did you know I still haven’t told him I forgive him? For what he… what happened to Vex?”

It wasn’t too hard to believe. He had been particularly icy towards Percy since the tomb, and even more so after the whole Craven Edge episode. While Vex herself had forgiven Percy in an instant, Vax had held on to the grudge.

“Well,” Keyleth started slowly. “I wouldn’t totally blame you for holding on to it longer than the rest of us, considering it also kind of… set you on this path.”

Vax snorted. “I made that choice. That’s on me. It was only ever about my sister. I mean, after the evil sword thing, I may have thought he was a danger to the group, but it didn’t last.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “But at the shrine… that would have been the perfect moment, right? To give him the forgiveness that he’d earned over and over again?”

Keyleth stayed silent as he continued. “But I didn’t want to. I didn’t _feel_ like it. And I knew, I _knew_ I was wrong, I should let this anger _go_ , but I decided not to.” He let out a hollow laugh. “And what’s more, he _encouraged_ my anger.”

A cold fist went around the druid’s heart as Vax brought a hand to his eyes. “That should have been my clue.” His fingers clenched. “Did you see him near the end there? He just _sat down_ and took it? Why would he _do_ that?”

There was a period of silence after that where Vax’s breaths became shaky, and he lowered his head to his knees. Keyleth felt a few tears escape down her cheeks as she looked up at the gunslinger in question. She had done her best to clean him up, but there was still blood in his hair and his glasses were cracked. Yet, in spite of the damage done to his person, he still looked more peaceful than he ever had before.

And that scared her more than anything.

Keyleth wasn’t good at words. She knew this. But Vax needed _something_ here. Dashing the tears away, she took a deep breath.

“Percy is ridiculously good at a lot of things,” she began. “Chief among them being guilt.” _That_ at least had been made clear in Ank’Harel.

She scooted closer. “We didn’t exactly do our best at quelling those feelings of his, none of us. Well, except maybe Vex.” Vax chuckled at that. “But this is also something he needs to come to terms with himself. It’s not a matter of you forgiving him; he needs to move forward. And we’ll help him, because we’re a family. And that’s what family does.”

Slowly, Vax’s breathing calmed. His hand blindly found hers and squeezed.

“Vax,” Keyleth said softly, tightening her grip. “He’ll come back. I know he will.”

He raised his head, his eyes more red-rimmed than before. He stared across the room at his sister. “… She loves him.”

In spite of everything, Keyleth gave a little smile. “Yeah, I think she does.”

“He needs to know, right? That, and that… he and I. We’re good.”

Keyleth rested her head on his shoulder. “You are? You forgive him?”

Vax’s other hand trailed up, resting on the metal clasp of his cloak, shaped like a raven’s skull.

“… Yeah. Yeah, I think I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wonder what Vax would have offered during the ritual. The wing thing, or more?  
> You can check out more of my art on my Tumblr: goldenrose101.tumblr.com


End file.
